Over the past few years I have bought 11 of them. I have Tom Hanks' favorite the Smith-Carona Silent, Hemingway's favorite, the Royal De Luxe 1947 model, and my favorite, a Royal Companion, circa 1948. I use these three mainly, but keep a typewriter in every room so if i want to type in a hurry, I'm ready. I also mail letters written on my Companion to friends and family. You would be amazed how a person reacts to getting aa letter typed on a typewriter. But for first drafts and revisions, I first write them on a typewriter to tune out the world and focus on my story. Oh, and you need a Smith Corona to do envelopes. The Royal does not have rollers that will hold an envelope in place, particularly card envelopes.